Total Eclipse Of The Heart
by Magick Starr
Summary: When Sam's life goes to pieces Jo is the one that's there to try and fix it. Only time will tell how she copes when Sam finds someone else to comfort her...


A/N: Um… Welcome to my new fic. As you can probably guess by the title, Bonnie Tyler's 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' inspires it. Hopefully it'll be updated a little quicker than my others will! Although, admittedly, I do say that for all my fics. But this one's got in my head at the moment, so let's see, eh?! So if you're about to read this, thank you.

* * *

_Turn around_

"Right everyone, I'd like to introduce you to DS James Brookburn, Phil's replacement. He's come fresh out of The Greater Manchester Police and hopefully he'll be sticking around for a while, because he's brought glowing references and a high arrest rate with him! He'll be working with me on the Johnston case today, and I hope you'll all be welcoming and supportive." Sam commented, looking particularly to Stuart, who had already appeared to have taken a dislike to the male standing somewhat close to the blonde DI. Raising her eyebrows at the existing DS, she turned back to James, flashing him a smile before groaning as her mobile ring tone pierced the office. "Oh, I'm so sorry." She muttered whilst fumbling with the zip to her bag, looking slightly concerned when she saw the number flashing up on the screen. "Sorry, I'm going to have to take this." She informed, smiling awkwardly before leaving the briefing room, resting her back against the wall outside as she hit the 'accept' button.

"Abi, hi, what's… Okay, okay, slow down darling, what's happened?" Sam paused, her eyes widening and her heart appearing to race as she heard whatever the news was Abi was informing her of. I felt somewhat rude, listening into her conversation, but something about Sam's face told me she could do with a friend when she hung up. "What?" Her words became frantic, my lips pursing as I saw her pace the corridor. "Okay, okay just… just stay put, Abi, I'll be right down." She concluded hurriedly before hanging up, taking a deep breath in before heading back towards the briefing room, looking slightly taken aback to see me.

"Sorry, I just came to see if…" I began, prepared to offer my humblest of apologies to my superior.

"It's fine. Just… Do me a favour and look after James today." She stated. It seemed more of a question than an order, but I complied all the same.

"Yes Ma'am." I replied, battling with whether or not to ask her what had happened that required her immediate, frantic attention.

"Thank you, Jo. I'll make it up to you." She promised before heading quickly towards the stairs, her speedy pace rapidly breaking into a run as she saw her daughter at the bottom of the staircase.

* * *

"James, you found anything?" I questioned, peering over the new DS's shoulder as I scanned down the list he was holding.

"Nothing. You?"

"His sister saw him three days ago, and his father spoke to him a week ago."

He paused, contemplating this information briefly before flicking his eyes back to the computer screen. "Not much use, is it? \We've got the friend that saw him two days ago. Something more recent would be…" He trailed off, wondering how to phrase it.

"Useful?" I suggested.

"Mmm, to put it bluntly, yes." He raised his eyebrows, tapping lightly on the desk. "Back to the drawing board?"

"Think so, yes. There's just one thing I want to check up on first, do you mind taking your break?" I suggested, my enquires not to do with this case, and my senses telling me Sam would rather I sought her out alone.

"Sure." He replied, standing up and slinging his jacket around his shoulders. "Certain you don't want me with you?"

"Nah, it's fine. Thanks."

* * *

Sighing, I knocked on the door, deciding I couldn't stand outside watching the blonde any longer before someone at the station got suspicious. Noting she didn't turn around, seemingly unaware of the knock, I pushed the door open, whispering her name to draw her attention to my presence.

Dreamily, she turned her head; a bewildered expression overcoming the half-smile she attempted. "Hi. Sorry I left you in the lurch, it's just…"

"No need to explain," I cut in, knowing the blonde well enough to realise she was always a little uncomfortable with laying all her cards on the table. "I was just wondering if there's anything I can do?" I offered, taking a couple of steps into the room and closing the door behind me, allowing her some privacy from the prying eyes of Sun Hill.

"Thanks for the offer, but… There isn't, really." She mumbled, her brief hesitation adding to my already heightened concern for her.

"Well, if you ever need anyone to talk to, you know where I am." I reminded her, about to inform her I'd get back to work when her sharp intake of breath cut through the otherwise silent, serene atmosphere. "What is it?"

Sam paused, her teeth chewing gently on her bottom lip as she considered this. "Is it too soon to take you up on that offer?" she questioned in a hushed whisper, seeming to think if she didn't say it loudly then the rejection wouldn't hurt so much were it to fly her way.

"Of course not." I responded quickly, taking a seat next to her on the sofa, turning to face her, the blonde instinctively curling her feet up underneath herself.

"I don't know if you saw her when I came down, but Abi was here. Jared, my grandson," Sam noted, taking a deep breath as she prepared herself for the next part, "has gone missing." She completed, the strong persona she was attempting to put up one I could see straight through, her tight eyes revealing more than the blonde would wish to let on.

I took a long breath in myself, unsure of quite what to say. When I'd finally decided I'd keel over pretty soon if I didn't release the breath I had sucked in, I deduced that comfort wasn't what the blonde was looking for. "When?"

"An hour ago. Abi had taken him to the park. One minute he was there, the next… He'd gone." She informed, her eyes beginning to turn puzzled, as if questioning the logic of how Abi could simply not see anything.

Tightening my lips, I placed my hand over hers. "It happens." I commented, not really sure whether I was helping things here or making them worse.

"I know. But… First Abi, now Jared, why does it always happen to me?" she questioned, her eyes downcast as she spoke, as if feeling ashamed she was acting so self-absorbed when it was Abi's child that had gone missing. "I mean, I know I'm Abi's mother so it was different when she went missing," she remarked, confirming my suspicions she was feeling guilty "and this isn't about me, it's about Jared, but…"

"Hey. You have every right." I interjected, refusing to allow the blonde to beat herself up about feeling like this. "He's your grandson and I'm sure you love him just as much as you love Abi. This must feel like history repeating itself." I observed, the look on her face telling me that wasn't a wise remark to make. "He'll be fine, Sam." I assured her, praying this wouldn't turn out to be hopeful wish.

* * *

"Anything?" James questioned as I strode back into the office.

"No, sorry. You just got back?"

"Yep, good timing!" He paused, appearing to contemplate whether or not to ask me something.

"Go on." I prompted, a pale blush reaching his cheek when he realised I'd noticed.

"The DI, Samantha, has she gone?" He questioned, his eyes sparkling as he spoke of her.

Feeling a slight kick of jealousy jolt through me, I turned away under the pretence of adjusting my hair. "Yes, she had personal matters to deal with. Not that it's any of your business." I added bitterly, turning back to face his and taking a file off his newly acquired desk.

Taken aback slightly, he stood up. "Sorry, I was just wondering why I'd been changed with who I was paired with at the last minute." He commented. "Not that I have any objection to working with you." he added quickly, seeing my eyebrows rise.

"It's a police station, these things happen, you've gotta get used to it." I remarked before turning away, walking back to my desk.

It took me a good few minutes for me to swallow enough of my pride to allow myself to look to see what he was doing, and when I did I found him looking rather defeated, having sunk back down into his chair and begun sifting through files once again.

* * *

Sighing, I rose from the sofa I'd been rooted to for the past three hours. "Alright, alright, I'm coming." I shouted, the persistent knocking of the front door starting to more than bug me.

"Okay, okay, gimme a break." I called, only regretting my words when I opened the door. "Sam? Sorry, I thought you were… Someone annoying." I remarked.

Pausing for a second, I took in her appearance. Her clothes weren't all together scruffy, but there was definitely something about them that didn't suggest the usual pristine Samantha Nixon. Her face, on the other hand, was a clear signpost to her emotions, the tears still hovering on her cheeks suggesting it was only a few seconds ago that she stopped crying. Either that or she got rained on between her car and my front door. My senses told me it was the former.

Not quite sure how to approach her without commenting on the tears and embarrassing her, I simply put my arm around her shoulders, leading her into the house and propping her on the sofa I'd previously been occupying. "You're frozen, Sam." I informed her, guessing by her continuous shivering that she was probably aware of that fact. "Here." I pulled the blanket off the back of the sofa, wrapping it around her small frame, the petit blonde having curled up on my sofa. "I'll get you a hot drink. Coffee?" I questioned, taking her single nod of the head to be a yes.

I spent as long as I could making the drink, still hesitant around my superior, not sure what she would consider over-stepping the mark between colleagues, and what would be an insensitive and seemingly uncaring reaction between friends. Deciding there was a very fine line and knowing my previous run-ins with Sam, I settled on letting her choose what she wants to tell me, and what she would rather remained between her and her mind.

Even after making my decision to leave her to approach the subject, praying it wouldn't get me in any trouble, I was still relieved to see her sleeping soundly when I re-entered the room, hoping that it would give me at least until the morning to face talking to her. Not that talking to her in itself was a terrible thought, in fact it was a fabulous thought, but talking to her about this? Well that was terrifying. Sam's not a person to let others see her with her guard down, I know that much at least.

* * *

"Toast?" I offered, handing the drowsy blonde still occupying my couch the cup of tea I was holding.

"Mmm, that'd be good. Thanks." She responded, making a half-hearted attempt to stand up before deciding her body wouldn't let her. By the look of it, she'd been drinking last night. Either that or hangovers no longer required alcohol consumption.

"No problem."

"I meant for everything. Letting me stay here without asking any questions. I don't know anyone else who would." She informed, looking away embarrassedly as she did so, inspecting a scratch on the back of her hand.

"Anytime." I replied, not quite sure what else I was meant to say to that, the blonde apparently too concerned with the scratch to notice my reply anyway.

"Last night's a bit hazy." She remarked, running her fingers over the cut. "You wouldn't happen to know how I got this, would you?"

"Sorry, must have already done it when you arrived, you were fast asleep before you could do yourself any damage here."

"Sorry, I'll be sure not to do that again." She commented, looking ashamed of her behaviour.

"Anytime, honestly." I insisted, smiling slightly before looking around awkwardly, deciding I was too inapt to deal with situations like these, I promptly excused myself with the excuse of making breakfast.

* * *

"That file you asked for, Ma'am." I placed the brown item on her desk, raising my eyebrows as she lifted her head off her desk and blinked, having apparently seen light for the first time today. "Are you sure you should be here?"

Ignoring my question, she busied herself with flicking briefly through the file. "Are all the witness statements collected?" She quizzed, running a hand through her hair, adjusting the 'I just fell asleep at work' look into something more presentable for an office.

"Yes." I replied, guessing her dismissal of my enquiry meant that it wasn't any of my business. Or at least that she didn't think it was. "Anything else you need? Coffee?" I offered cheekily, wondering whether she'd be inclined to accept my offer, or reprimand me for disrespecting a superior officer.

"Just some peace and quiet please, Jo." She replied bluntly.

"Ma'am." I responded, nodding politely before leaving her office, deciding with the mood Sam was in it'd be best to get out while I could still walk.

* * *

Leaning back against the wall, I sighed, running a hand over my face before standing up straight, seeing James heading towards me. "DS Brookburn. Second day at Sun Hill going okay so far?" I inquired, making a feeble attempt to not let him in Sam's office when she was in such a foul, hungover mood.

"Not bad, thanks. DI Nixon in there?"

"Yes, but she's on the phone at the minute. I need to speak to her, though, can I pass on a message?" I offered, sensing that a grilling from Sam Nixon would not be an appropriate welcome to Sun Hill Police Station.

"Just got another witness statement for the Johnston case." He informed, glancing quickly at the floor before adding, "I presume you've given her the case already."

"Yes, just now. Who's the statement from? I told her they were all in there."

"Clive Metcalfe. You could always say it was just found in the interview room."

I glanced briefly to the office door. "Mood she's in lying might be the best bet, yes." I commented, half-smiling at James before taking the statement out of his hand. "I'd get back to the main office if I were you, she's not in her happiest of temperaments." I suggested, feeling that not only would him being out of the way save his skin, but it might also give me a chance to find out whether Sam would require a bed without questions again tonight.

* * *

"DS Brookburn just found another statement in one of the interview rooms." I said, handing the paper over to Sam, taking a seat as I did so.

"Thanks." She replied, putting it in the file before looking up to see me still seated at her desk. "Was there something else?"

"I wanted to see how you were." I commented, lifting her mug up from her desk. "Only I noticed that not only have you drunk four cups of coffee so far today and consumed…" I paused, lifting up an empty blister pack of pills that I knew had been at least half full that morning. "At least six aspirin, you also seem to be in a generally foul mood, and it got me wondering, would you be needing a bed and supper tonight?"

She looked up from the item's I was holding in my hands, her eyes somewhere between pleasant surprise and fury. "I don't think that's any of your business." She replied, taking the aspirin packet out of my hand.

"I'm concerned about a friend, Sam." I informed, placing my hand she'd just gently brushed when taking the packet out of my hand over hers, looking into her eyes. "I want you to know I'm here if you need me, whenever."

She paused, looking back into my eyes, her own blue orbs softening somewhat. "Thanks, Jo. Means a lot." She responded, looking down to our conjoined hands before looking back up at the sound of my voice.

"So will you be requiring food and lodging? I've got a full fridge, you can take your pick…" I offered, smiling at her as she appeared to relent.

"That'd be nice." She commented, smiling back as she did so, squeezing my hand slightly before removing hers, running it through her hair once again.

"So, I'll pick you and a change of clothes for work tomorrow up at about seven, then?" I suggested, fidgeting absentmindedly with my jumper, it becoming increasingly apparent to me that my blood pressure couldn't cope with such contact with the blonde.

"Sounds good." She replied, nodding slightly at me as I rose from the chair, her eyes following me as I headed towards the door.

"Good."


End file.
